Stone Chips on Car Paint: What to Do Now, When to Repair and How to Stop New Ones

Deal with stone chips early, especially if you can see grey primer or bare metal. A chip that goes through to metal can start to rust, and rust spreads under the paint. Small chips can be filled with matching touch-up paint; larger or clustered chips may need a panel respray. To stop new chips, paint protection film (PPF) on the front of the car is the most effective option. Ceramic coating does not stop chips.

Road work, loose gravel, potholes and heavy vehicles all throw up small stones. The bonnet, front bumper, mirrors and the area behind the wheels take most of the hits, especially on stretches like the Outer Ring Road and Sarjapur Road. Even a few months of daily driving can leave a scatter of chips on the front of a new car.

• Clear coat only: a small dull or white mark, colour still visible. Often polishable or a minor touch-up.
• Through the colour: you can see a lighter grey or white layer (primer). Needs touch-up paint to seal it.
• Bare metal: silver metal visible, or brown rust starting. Needs prompt repair to stop rust spreading.

Wash the area first and look in good daylight. If you're not sure, a specialist can check it in minutes.

Touch-up paint matched to your car's paint code seals small chips and stops rust. It won't be invisible up close, but it protects the panel. Professional chip repair fills and levels the chip more neatly. A panel respray makes sense when a panel has many chips or rust has started. Whatever you choose, fix the paint before installing PPF, because film seals in whatever is underneath.

Paint protection film is a thick, clear, self-healing layer that absorbs the impact of small stones so the paint underneath is untouched. Front-end coverage (bonnet, bumper, fenders, mirrors) covers the areas that take most chips; full-body coverage protects everything. Ceramic coating adds gloss and makes cleaning easier, but it is far too thin to stop a stone. See PPF vs ceramic coating for the full comparison.